Andrew wrote:Now that's a tough way to lose, on the precipice of a thrilling victory to force Game 7. Still, you gave it a good try. A couple of solid offseason moves, and you could go even further next season.

It sucks because I've seen similar animations go in before, but usually it bounces off both sides of the rim. It was a frustrating result, but I was like "wow, that's a really memorable moment".

Phil89 wrote:So unlucky. But at least you have a great foundation to build on with this team.

I'm interested to see what you do over the off-season.

I'm in a pretty good position this free agency. Most of my better players are on reasonable contracts, so that's a good start I think.

Arron Afflalo and Nick Young have had their options exercised for the 2017/18 season.

Despite having a subpar Playoff run, Afflalo had an impressive 2016/17 campaign and the Sonics front office decided to exercise his $12.54M Team Option

In contrast to Afflalo, Nick Young was one of the standout players for the Sonics during their Playoff run. While he could have potentially demanded more money in free agency, Young decided to accept his Player Option worth $5.67M.

Snell to Test Market

A qualifying offer worth $3.39M was officially offered to Tony Snell, but he will test the market to try and get an multi-season deal.

Interesting prospects there. For some reason, I really like the name Jimmie Jennings. It's no Diamond Stone, but it's still got a ring to it.

I figured I'd give him the qualifying offer because he did show some potential. With the way I'm building the roster, he probably won't see significant time on the court, but he could be a good defensive piece.

And there is a pleasing alliteration to Jimmie Jennings. Think he might be a made up player, though. But Michael Fusek is real, so that's good enough for me.

Lamrock wrote:Who won the championship?

Ah man, I knew I forgot something in my eagerness to get through the off-season.

The NBA Finals was an absolute joke. The Warriors ended up winning Game 4 by 105-68.

Instead of engaging in a bidding war for Gordon Hayward, the Sonics decided to sign Otto Porter Jr to a 4yr/$55.51M deal.

With the performance of Andrew Nicholson in the Playoffs, the Sonics opted to take a chance on Porter’s potential instead of going all in for Hayward.

The addition of Porter could mean a change in role for Wilson Chandler. It’s been speculated that the front office envisioned Chandler playing a 6th man role if the Sonics could acquire a big-name small forward in free agency.

Sonics Win Waiters Signature

Former Miami Heat guard and semi-professional voice actor Dion Waiters signed a 1yr/$9M deal with the Sonics.

The deal includes a Team Option for the 2018-2019 season.

Former F Grade 3-Point Shooter Signs with Sonics

Brandon Rush signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Sonics.

Rush will provide the Sonics with another quality spot up option from beyond the arc, as he has a career 3 point percentage of over 40 percent.

NBL Star Comes to Seattle

Bryce Cotton agreed to a one-year deal with the Seattle Sonics.

Cotton is coming off an excellent season in the NBL where he led the Perth Wildcats to the championship. In the final, he scored 45 points, which is a new record for an NBL Grand Final.

Ubiquitous NBA 2K16 MyTEAM Card Acquired by Sonics

Jarnell Stokes signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Sonics.

Stokes has been a D-League standout for a couple of seasons now. In 2016, he won both the MVP and the Finals MVP, along with being crowned a D-League champion.

Livingston Re-Signs

Shaun Livingston will return to Seattle on a 2yr/$15.34M contract.

Livingston was a key reserve for the Seattle Sonics throughout the 2016/17 season, and will likely continue to play a significant role in the upcoming campaign.

Snell Accepts Qualifying Offer

Tony Snell accepted the qualifying offer from the Seattle Sonics, which will see him in Seattle for another season.

In other news, second round pick Jimmie Jennings was waived from the roster.

The two biggest moving free agents this summer were Gordon Hayward and Paul Millsap. Hayward (Baltimore Barons) and Millsap (Phoenix Suns) both received massive 4-year deals that put them on par with some of the most elite players in the game.

The Phoenix Suns have emerged as major winners of the off-season. Along with Millsap, they also signed Andre Iguodala to a multi-year deal, to go with their acquisition of gun prospect Josh Jackson. After a few subpar seasons, this campaign could be the return to prominence the Phoenix fan base have been looking for. As for the major losers of free agency 2017, the Brooklyn Nets failed to make any notable additions to their squad, while losing Bojan Bogdanovic to the Jazz.

With Hayward and Millsap being the major exceptions, most of the marquee free agents have stayed put. LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul have all signed back with their respective teams.

In contrast to role players being overpaid in 2016, this free agency saw a significant amount of minimum contracts. There were a couple of exceptions of role players being overpaid – with Otto Porter and Jared Sullinger being the main examples – but there seems to be an increasing pay gap between stars and role players.

You had a great off-season. Porter is a major coup and you're very fortunate that he didn't get matched, even if he's probably a little underrated in your game. Waiters is a good scorer who should fit the tone of your story, and none of the guys you lost were essential.

Andrew wrote:That's an interesting offseason. Some solid acquisitions to be sure, but it's a shame you couldn't land Hayward. Or Haywood, as I mistakenly named him in an NBA Live roster update years ago.

I probably could have gotten Hayward, but his asking price was about $27M per season. As much of a fan as I am, that's probably the type of money I'd reserve for KD or LeBron.

Lamrock wrote:You had a great off-season. Porter is a major coup and you're very fortunate that he didn't get matched, even if he's probably a little underrated in your game. Waiters is a good scorer who should fit the tone of your story, and none of the guys you lost were essential.

I pretty much signed Porter based on his real life form. I was going to throw money at Hayward, but when I saw that I could get Porter for less than half, I thought it was worth a shot. But yeah, that contract would definitely get matched in real life.

As for Dion, I think I'm going to get some great impact from him off the bench. He's also a bit of a favourite of mine since my 2K13 thread. And my biggest loss of the off-season was Amir Johnson, but I'm hoping Wilson Chandler can play a similar role off the bench.

The regular season hasn’t begun, but the Sonics already need to make a major adjustment to their rotation after Boban Marjanovic sustained a spinal injury in a Summer League game. He will miss roughly the first two months of the regular season.

This is a major blow for the Sonics, as Marjanovic was one of the best defensive players off the bench last season.

To cover for this injury, it looks like Jarnell Stokes will be a part of the rotation on opening night.

The Sonics picked up a 99-92 win against the Jazz thanks to an impressive debut from Otto Porter Jr. The great palindrome dropped 26 points, including 4-6 from beyond the arc.

Along with Porter, Afflalo had a strong opening night as well, scoring 17 points off perfect shooting from the floor (4-4) and the charity stripe (6-6). Wilson Chandler flourished in his new bench role, with 16 points, while Dion Waiters also added a great punch from the bench with 15. Andrew Nicholson struggled from the field (3-11) but still ended up with 10 points.

For the Jazz, George Hill found himself carrying the offensive load with 21 points, while Derrick Favors (16 points, 13 rebounds) and Alec Burks (14 points) also contributed. However, after losing Gordon Hayward in the off-season, it was expected that the Jazz might not have the greatest start to the season.

Nicholson Returns to Form Against Mavs

After a struggle against the Jazz, Andrew Nicholson found his best form and led the Sonics to a 107-100 win over the Mavericks.

Nicholson top scored for the Sonics with 27 points, as well as picking up 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. It was also a great comeback game for Patty Mills, who registered 23 points and 10 assists, while Otto Porter had another great performance for his new team, with 26 points and 8 rebounds.

For the Mavs, a vintage performance from Dirk Nowitzki (28 points) kept them in the game, while they also received solid production from Harrison Barnes (16 points) and new recruits Alex Len (15 points, 14 rebounds) and Dennis Smith (13 points, 8 assists).

Walker Scorches Sonics in Charlotte

The Sonics away record took an immediate hit with their 114-106 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

Kemba Walker poured in 31 points for the home side, leading a field of 6 double-digit scorers for the Hornets. Frank Kaminsky was also a problem for the Sonics’ defence, as he had 18 points off 7-10 shooting, while also tallying 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Yi Jianlian (15 points, 8 rebounds) and Jeremy Lamb (11 points) were also effective, while Spencer Hawes and Frank Ntilikina both added 10 points each.

The Sonics got another strong performance out of Andrew Nicholson, who tallied 32 points and 9 rebounds on the night. But it was also a down game for Otto Porter Jr. The new recruit had his first blemish on the season, scoring 18 points off an inefficient 6-15 from the field. Patty Mills had another double-double (17 points, 10 assists), while Wilson Chandler added 12 off the bench.

Sonics Overpowered by Dominant Deer

The Milwaukee Bucks continued their impressive unbeaten start to the season with a 125-110 victory over the Sonics.

Jabari Parker led a field of 7 double-digit scorers with 27 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Greg Monroe (23 points, 15 rebounds) and John Henson (18 points, 12 rebounds) both caused major headaches for the Sonics in the paint, while Brandon Jennings (12 points, 8 assists) was controlling the game from the point. Khris Middleton (11 points), Matthew Dellavedova (10 points) and Mirza Teletovic (10 points) also contributed to the win.

The Sonics fell to 0-3 on the road after suffering a 118-102 loss to the Jazz.

This time it was Derrick Favors who took on the role as the main man, tallying 30 points and 7 rebounds. George Hill (12 assists) and Jeff Green both scored 21 each, while Bojan Bogdanovic (11 points) and Alec Burks (10 points) were also effective from their opportunities.

The Sonics were led by Patty Mills, who continued his resurgence with 23 points and 10 assists. It was a much better game for Otto Porter Jr as well, who scored 20 points off 6-11 from the field. Andrew Nicholson (15 points, 9 rebounds) contributed despite having a slightly down night, while Arron Afflalo (14 points) and Jarnell Stokes (10 points) chipped in as well.

Due to the nature of the loss, rookie Michael Fusek was also given a run during garbage time in the 4th. In his 2 minutes of play, Fusek had 2 points, 1 rebound and 2 blocks.

Andrew wrote:That's a rough three game stretch following the solid start, hope the slide ends soon. Also, The Great Palindrome? Love the nickname...and of course, it reminded me of a moment from The Simpsons.

The Sonics managed to avoid a complete disaster on their first road trip by beating the Houston Rockets 103-94.

Otto Porter was the top scorer of the night with 28 points. Andrew Nicholson (16 points, 7 rebounds) and Arron Afflalo (15 points, 6 rebounds) provided great support for Porter, while Wilson Chandler had a double-double off the bench, with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

The Rockets had a fairly even distribution of scoring, with James Harden leading the way on offence (22 points, 10 assists). But the Rockets were unable to recover from a slow start, as they were outscored 32-16 in the first quarter.

Sonics Lose First Game at Home

The Toronto Raptors gave the Sonics their first home loss of the season, winning 110-103 in Seattle.

DeMar DeRozan (25 points), Jonas Valanciunas (23 points, 13 rebounds) and Kyle Lowry (22 points, 9 assists) combined to give the Sonics fits all night and as a result, the home team had an uphill battle all game.

Andrew Nicholson (26 points, 8 rebounds) and Otto Porter (22 points) managed to get their own on offence, but Patty Mills could manage to stay on the floor, as he encountered foul trouble for most of the game. With Patty’s troubles, Bryce Cotton got an extended run on the court and he managed to tally 13 points and 5 assists. Andrew Bogut (11 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks) was solid on both ends, but ultimately couldn’t stop the offensive onslaught.

Dion Steps Up, But Sonics Still Lose

Dion Waiters had one of the more incredible performances of the season in the Sonics’ 114-104 loss to the Pelicans.In an incredible turn of events, Dion Waiters was put in the starting lineup after Arron Afflalo tore his MCL during practice. Waiters ended up scoring 35 points in his first start of the season… and I dare say it won’t be his last. The scoring outburst was probably the only thing that kept the Sonics in the game, as Patty Mills was the only other double-digit scorer for the Sonics with 11 points and 5 assists.

As expected, the Sonics encountered major resistance from Anthony Davis. The All-Star big had 26 points and 10 rebounds on the night. But the most astounding performance was from new recruit JaVale McGee. The Shaqtin a Fool legend complemented Anthony Davis perfectly and ended up with an incredible 21 points and 20 rebounds. With Davis and McGee dominating the paint, Jrue Holiday (18 points, 5 assists), Buddy Hield (14 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) and Jarrett Jack (10 points, 4 assists) were all able to be effective from the perimeter.

Sonics Come Back in Style Against Nuggets

After a couple of tough results, the Sonics came roaring back with a 125-98 win against the Nuggets.

If you thought the Dion Waiters performance against the Pelicans was a fluke, he obviously didn’t think so. The new Sonics sensation poured in a career-high 40 points off 15-26 from the field. Andrew Nicholson (22 points, 7 rebounds) and Otto Porter (20 points) complemented Dion’s point explosion well, while Nick Young (15 points) and Brandon Rush (10 points) were instrumental off the bench.

For the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic (16 points, 10 rebounds), Kenneth Faried (11 points, 10 rebounds) and Emmanuel Mudiay (10 points, 10 assists) performed well, but were on the wrong end of one of the form players in the league.

Sonics Reserves Allowed to Flex in Blowout Win

The game against the Baltimore Barons was never in doubt, as the Sonics won comprehensively by 125-90.

After overwhelming the Barons in the first two quarters, Ime Udoka gave the reserves an extended run, which gave Jarnell Stokes time to prove his worth in the league. The former D-League MVP had 24 points and 11 rebounds, while shooting a perfect 10-10 from the field and 4-4 from the line. Tony Snell also got into the act, scoring 16 points from his 17 minutes of play.

With the extended minutes the bench players received, the numbers of Otto Porter (15 points), Dion Waiters (13 points) and Andrew Nicholson (10 points) took a bit of a hit, but in the grand scheme of things, the rest should only prove beneficial.

On what was a disastrous for the Barons, Joe Johnson (20 points), Gordon Hayward (15 points, 6 rebounds) and Marreese Speights (11 points) were the only players that made any type of impact for the away team.

Andrew wrote:Ah, of course. Yours is the classic episode, so you win that one.

It's not a dominant start, but I could see you taking charge as the season goes on. Porter's looking like a good acquisition.

I'd consider the medical marijuana episode to be a classic as well, so I think we're both winners.

I really like Porter so far. He has the Wildcard badge, which means he's a little inconsistent, but I'm still getting pretty good production from him. It'll be interesting to see how he's rated in NBA 2K18, mainly because of his three point shooting. I think he's going to see a bit of a rating spike in the next game.

zzcoolj21 wrote:AS IT WAS PREDICTED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

AND GOD SAID "YOU SHALL RISE FROM THE ASHES OF ARRON AFFLALO, AND FROM HIM, YOU SHALL BE R11BORN" -Porzinguel 11:11

MAY HE BLESS THE SONICS OF SEATTLE WITH MANY GOLDEN RINGS

edit: Also Afflalo died for our wins

Wouldn't be the first time. In my 2K15 Nuggets dynasty, Gary Harris (AKA Gazza Hazza) emerged as a star and I believe I traded Afflalo to the Warriors. So this all looks pretty similar. He could still be a good bench player for this team, but at the moment, I'm really enjoying having Brandon Rush and Tony Snell in my rotation.

The Spurs managed to come away with a 120-117 win against the Sonics. Starting the 4th quarter with a 12-point deficit, the Sonics got within 1 when Otto Porter hit a clutch three in the dying moments. But after Kawhi Leonard hit both of his free throws, Dion Waiters was unable to hit the game-tying shot.

Andrew Nicholson (26 points, 11 rebounds) and Otto Porter (22 points) led the way once again, while Dion Waiters (19 points, 9 assists) was also influential. While the starters were getting it done, Wilson Chandler and Brandon Rush were the best from the Sonics’ bench, with 13 and 10 respectively.

Despite great performances from the Sonics’ best offensive players, the Spurs had the power in numbers with 6 double-digit scorers. Along with his clutch free throws, Kawhi Leonard led the way with 20 points. Manu Ginobili (18 points) ignited the Spurs from the bench, while Pau Gasol (10 rebounds) and Tony Parker both scored 17 points each. LaMarcus Aldridge (15 points) and Alexis Ajinca (12 points, 9 rebounds) also contributed to the win.

Sonics Slide to Second Straight Loss

The Magic picked up a 94-89 win against the Sonics, off the back of a strong performance from Nikola Vucevic. The centre was influential in the paint, tallying 20 points and 14 rebounds. Evan Fournier (5-14) was fairly inefficient, but still ended up with 14 points. Joe Ingles also managed to be influential by scoring 12 points.

For the Sonics, Otto Porter (21 points, 6 rebounds) and Andrew Nicholson (19 points, 8 rebounds) led the way on offence once again. Unfortunately for the Sonics, Dion Waiters had a slightly off night. The mercurial guard tallied 15 points off 4-15 from the field. On the plus side, the Sonics did manage to get good production from bench player Tony Snell, who scored 13 points.

Sonics Regain Form at MSG

The Sonics stopped their losing streak at Madison Square Garden, with a 99-84 win against the Knicks.

After a subpar game against the Magic, Dion Waiters’ form came back against the Knicks and he led the Sonics with 23 points. Brandon Rush once again enjoyed more minutes, tallying 14 points, which made up for a slightly off night from Otto Porter, who scored 13. Patty Mills (12 assists) and Andrew Nicholson (9 rebounds) both ended up with 12 points each, while Andrew Bogut registered a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

For the Knicks, Kristaps Porzingis (21 points) and Carmelo Anthony (19 points) were a formidable combination once again, but didn’t have a whole lot of offensive production otherwise. Derrick Rose (11 points, 8 rebounds) was the only other double-digit scorer for the home team.

Sonics Storm Back Against Thunder

Despite a dominant performance from Russell Westbrook, the Sonics managed to pick up a 116-111 against the Thunder. The reigning MVP had 39 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals on the night, while former Sonic Vince Carter had 19 points.

But the Sonics had great performances across the board, with Andrew Nicholson (20 points) leading the way on offence. Otto Porter had 19 points and 8 rebounds, while Patty Mills (9 assists), Tony Snell and Dion Waiters all scored 18 points each.

Sonics Continue Dominance Against Barons

The Sonics picked up an emphatic series sweep against the Barons, winning 113-92 in Baltimore.

It was Patty’s best performance of the season, as the Boomers’ point guard poured in 30 points. As well as hitting a season high 7 threes, Mills also tallied 8 assists and 5 steals on the night. Dion Waiters (23 points) was also deadly from beyond the arc, hitting 4-7. Tony Snell added 12 off the bench, while Otto Porter was relatively quiet with 10 points.

The Barons were once again overwhelmed by the Sonics. Even though they had 5 players in double figures, no one had a particularly significant impact. Marreese Speights was their best player, with 14 points and 8 rebounds.

As I mentioned on the podcast, I'm finding some really interesting rotations with Snell and Rush. If it keeps up, I might start shopping Afflalo when he gets back from injury.

Phil89 wrote:Love the Otto signing. Apparently he is one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA this season IRL

So far he looks like he is worth every penny.

I believe he's leading the league in 3PT%... unless someone has topped him at this point. I think I have always liked Otto, because when I went to a game in DC, the people around me seemed to dismiss him early on. So I kind of wanted him to succeed after that. He's definitely been worth the price so far, and I'm hoping he'll end up getting paid in real life as well.

Valor wrote:A bit late to the party but gotta say I love all those myteam references/digs Rough start to the season but it does seem like you are getting the hang of it again

Had to throw them in there after signing Brandon Rush and Jarnell Stokes. I mean really, an F Grade?!

It was a rough start. I think I was really missing Boban, but I've managed to adjust. Stokes is actually quite solid on defence, but has little-to-no offensive game whatsoever.

The Sonics picked up the first game of the anticipated Portland season series, with a 107-100 win.

Andrew Nicholson picked up where he left off in the Conference Semi Finals, leading the Sonics with 24 points and 6 rebounds. Dion Waiters (17 points, 6 assists) and Patty Mills (16 points, 9 assists) controlled the game from the backcourt, while Otto Porter (14 points, 5 rebounds) and Wilson Chandler (10 points, 6 rebounds) also contributed.

Damian Lillard (27 points, 9 assists) and C.J. McCollum (22 points, 5 assists) were once again the focal point for the Blazers, while the likes of Ed Davis (13 points), Noah Vonleh (11 points, 7 rebounds), and Mason Plumlee (10 points, 8 rebounds) complemented the two stars pretty well. However, the Blazers were put on the back foot early with the Sonics leading by as many as 25 points, meaning they had to play catch-up basketball for most of the game.

Otto Dethrones the Kings

Otto Porter’s season went to a new high in the Sonics’ 108-96 win against the Kings.

Porter scored a career high 35 points for the Sonics, including 7 three pointers. It was also a big night for Tony Snell. The Sonics swingman has had some great minutes off the bench since being placed in the rotation, and against the Kings he had a season high 20 points. Dion Waiters also added 15 points, while Andrew Nicholson registered a double-double, with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The Warriors got great production out of Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, with both players scoring 24 points each. However, Stephen Curry had his struggles on the night. Even though he managed 22 points, he scored off an inefficient 8-25 shooting, which included 6-18 from beyond the arc.

The Sonics got off to a great start, leading 58-37 at the end of the first half. Even though the reigning champs cut the lead to 10 by the start of the 4th quarter, the Sonics stormed home towards the end.

btw, does 2K17 have the Export Team feature? I doubt it, but if it did, we could actually make that showdown a reality. I'm not that great at 2K, so Kenny would probably kick my ass though.

What would be GOAT would be if us association story people had an online association together. Unfortunately, we're all adults at this point and that would be impossible to coordinate. If only that feature had existed a few years ago.

Lamrock wrote:What would be GOAT would be if us association story people had an online association together. Unfortunately, we're all adults at this point and that would be impossible to coordinate. If only that feature had existed a few years ago.

Yeah we were actually pondering that idea before 2k17 came out, but then they went with the fantasy basketball-esque concept for online MyLeague instead of regular so we dropped it. RL responsibilities + time difference makes it hard to coordinate too.

btw, does 2K17 have the Export Team feature? I doubt it, but if it did, we could actually make that showdown a reality. I'm not that great at 2K, so Kenny would probably kick my ass though.

What would be GOAT would be if us association story people had an online association together. Unfortunately, we're all adults at this point and that would be impossible to coordinate. If only that feature had existed a few years ago.

Valor wrote:

Lamrock wrote:What would be GOAT would be if us association story people had an online association together. Unfortunately, we're all adults at this point and that would be impossible to coordinate. If only that feature had existed a few years ago.

Yeah we were actually pondering that idea before 2k17 came out, but then they went with the fantasy basketball-esque concept for online MyLeague instead of regular so we dropped it. RL responsibilities + time difference makes it hard to coordinate too.

Haven't checked out if there is a feature like that, but I've found roster editing in general to be pretty limited in NBA 2K17 (at least on PS4). I think the game would be pretty even, since AI defence isn't great. And it would come down to who could make the most jumpshots, because no one would be getting past Gobert or Bogut.

As Valor said, we had that idea originally before NBA 2K17 was released, but it fell apart when we found out that you can't do expansion drafts in MyLEAGUE Online. We were each going to take control of an expansion side and do the online thing with 4-6 people. I think if we made it so we only had to play each other once per season (29 game schedule), we could still make it work.

Phil89 wrote:You seem to have a very nice Spurs-esque balance to your team right now. Everyone is contributing and has a shot at being the main guy on any given night.

Also, I have to say there is something kinda nice about seeing Dion Waiters be a productive NBA player. Good for him.

Well, I did steal their assistant coach in the off-season but yeah, I've always liked playing that way. It's probably why I found the Nuggets sans Melo to be far more interesting.

I really like Dion Waiters. It was cool to see him find a niche in Miami this season, and he's always been a J.R. Smith type in basketball video games.

The Sonics once again got sweet revenge against the Blazers, with a 107-95 win in Portland.

Dion Waiters led the Sonics with 20 points, while Otto Porter added 15. The Andrews were also a key factor in the game, as Bogut (14 points, 18 rebounds, 6 blocks) and Nicholson (14 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists) proved dominant in the paint. Patty Mills also had a decent game, with 12 points and 7 assists.

The Blazers once again got great service out of C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard, with each player scoring 31 and 21 respectively. Festus Ezeli (11 points, 6 rebounds) and Ed Davis (11 points, 10 rebounds) both had solid outings, but couldn’t equal the Andrews intensity on the boards.

Rebounding proved to be a key factor in the game, as the Sonics managed to be +11 on overall rebounds.

Sonics Win Ugly Against the Bulls

The Sonics ground out a 77-75 win against the Bulls, extending their streak to 10. The game narrowly missed an overtime period after Jimmy Butler missed a running contested layup at the buzzer.

It wasn’t a game for people who love the usual free-flowing offence of the Sonics, as Andrew Nicholson was the only player who looked convincing for the home team. He had 20 points and 8 rebounds on the night. Dion Waiters (5-14) struggled for his 13 points, while Otto Porter scored 10 off 4-9 from the field.

Jimmy Butler was the high-point man for the Bulls, with 20 points. But even Mr Buckets had his struggles from the floor, hitting 9-26 overall. Cody Zeller (12 rebounds) and Nikola Mirotic both added 12 points each, while Matthew Dellavedova registered a double-double, with 10 points and 13 assists.

Sonics Regain Offensive Groove Against Mavs

In a contrast from their previous game against the Bulls, the Sonics had a fine offensive outing in their 113-91 win against the Mavericks.

Otto Porter bounced back in style, leading all scorers with 33 points. The bulk of the other scoring was fairly evenly matched, with Patty Mills, Andrew Nicholson and Dion Waiters all scoring 16 points each.

The never-aging Dirk Nowitzki led the way for the Mavs, with 23 points and 9 rebounds. Alex Len proved to be a good foil for German Jesus, with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Harrison Barnes (14 points), Wesley Matthews (12 points) and Dennis Smith (10 points) all had meaningful contributions.

With both teams getting solid production offensively, it was simply the question of who would score the most points (thanks, Magic Johnson).

Rush Hour: Sonics Annihilate Blakeless Clippers

The Sonics made the most of playing the Clippers without Blake Griffin, as they tallied an impressive 124-98 win.

This time around, the top scorer for the Sonics came from Brandon Rush. Rush was just one point shy of his career high in points, scoring 28 points off 11-19 from the field. Otto Porter once again proved to be effective, with 21 points, while Dion Waiters had 13 points on the night. With the game won early, Nick Young was able to make the most of his time, scoring 11 points. However, with the game Brandon Rush had, Swaggy P doesn’t appear to be any closer to being a regular part of the rotation.

For the Clippers, J.J. Redick top scored with 20 points. Brice Johnson (16 points, 6 rebounds) did an admirable job in Blake’s absence, but Jamal Crawford proved to be erratic. Crawford scored his 15 points from an inefficient 5-19. Along with Chris Paul’s 10 points from 5-14, the Clippers were ultimately hurt by the Ineffectiveness from their usual offensive stars.

Sonics Keep Rolling Against the Grizzlies

The Sonics managed to come away with a 102-96 win against the Grizzlies. With a narrow 2-point lead at the start of the 4th quarter, the Sonics closed the game with a 23-19 final period.

Otto Porter led the way once again, with 22 points. Dion Waiters was also effective, with 18 points, while Patty Mills (14 points, 9 assists) and Shaun Livingston (11 points, 4 assists) both provided good service at the point. Brandon Rush and Jarnell Stokes both scored 10 points each off the bench.

Gerald Green and Chandler Parsons shared the lead scoring honours for the Grizzlies, with 17 points each. Marc Gasol (14 points, 11 rebounds) provided a solid presence in the paint, while Kelly Olynyk (13 points) and Wade Baldwin (11 points) both provided sparks for the Grizzlies off the bench.

Andrew Nicholson led the Sonics to a 98-94 win against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Canadian forward had a perfect game from the field, scoring his 27 points from 10-10, including 5-5 from beyond the arc. Shaun Livingston was also efficient, scoring 16 points off 5-8. Both of the aforementioned players made up for the poor shooting nights of Dion Waiters (3-11) and Otto Porter (2-10), who managed to score only 13 and 12 respectively. Andrew Bogut also contributed with 10 points.

The Sonics’ winning streak ended at 14, with the Thunder prevailing 91-89 in Seattle.

Russell Westbrook was once again the focus of the Thunder offence, with 21 points and 10 assists. But it was an inefficient night for the reigning MVP, as he shot 9-28 from the field. Luckily for Westbrook, he had an efficient supporting cast, as Alex Abrines (14 points), Steven Adams (12 points, 10 rebounds), Cameron Payne (10 points) and Trevor Booker (10 points, 9 rebounds) all shot at least 50 percent from the field.

It was the opposite story for the Sonics, with Otto Porter (21 points) being the only player in double figures to shoot over 50 percent. Dion Waiters and Patty Mills both added 13 points each, while Andrew Nicholson came back down to Earth with 10 points off 5-13 from the field.

Sonics Maintain Ascendency Against Blazers

The Sonics picked up a 107-99 win against the Blazers, putting them ahead 3-0 in the season series.

For the Blazers, the offensive production once again came mainly from McCollum and Lillard. They combined for 49 points, with McCollum leading the way with 29. However, the combined field goal percentage of 18-46 for the backcourt duo ended up hurting the Blazers down the track. Aside from Lillard and McCollum, Evan Turner (14 points) and Mason Plumlee (10 points) were the only significant contributors on offence for the Blazers.

Dion Finds Form In Denver

The Sonics made one of the league’s toughest road trips look easy, with a 111-82 thumping of the Nuggets in Denver.

After being quiet for the last few games, Dion Waiters was the top scorer for the Sonics with 21 points. Even though Andrew Nicholson (16 points, 9 rebounds) and Otto Porter (15 points) both took a backseat in this game, they were both effective when they did have the ball. Wilson Chandler also found his stride with 14 points and 7 rebounds off the bench.

It wasn’t a pretty game for the Nuggets, as they shot a meagre 37 percent from the field. While Emmanuel Mudiay (14 points) and Deron Williams (12 points) led the scoring for the Nuggets, they also combined for a woeful 7-26 from the field. The shots they took probably should have went to Juancho Hernangomez (5-7) and Nikola Jokic (5-6), who both efficiently scored 11 points each.

Nicholson and Porter Punish the Hawks

After steamrolling the Nuggets, the Sonics managed to make easy work of the Hawks with a 111-89 win.

Andrew Nicholson was in his best form, scoring 35 points. Otto Porter was also effective, with 25 points, while Patty Mills had 14 points and 8 assists.

Lamrock wrote:Crazy to see Nicholson play so well for you. I had to Google him to see who he even plays for IRL

He was traded to the NBA equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle, so it's easy to forget. Seriously, aside from Brook Lopez and Jeremy Lin, I struggle to think of any other players from that team at the moment.

But yeah, I've found him to be a good player for me ever since 2K15. He's a good floor spacer and a fairly okay defender from my experiences.

It was the Otto Porter show in Phoenix when the Sonics beat the Suns 92-82. Porter tallied a career-high 37 points off 13-25 from the field, including 7-11 from beyond the arc. Along with Porter, Andrew Nicholson (17 points, 7 assists) and Andrew Bogut (10 points, 9 rebounds) were the only other Sonics to score in double figures.

The Suns relied on Devin Booker for most of their scoring, and he responded with 21 points off 8-23 from the field. Paul Millsap had a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Eric Bledsoe and Dragan Bender chipped in with 10 points each.

Chandler Stands Up Against The Kings

With other more notable scorers struggling against the Kings, the Sonics got great production out of Wilson Chandler in their 89-83 win. Chandler added 24 points off the bench, including 11-12 from the free throw line. Andrew Nicholson was consistent as always, with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Dion Waiters scored 17.

On the other end, DeMarcus Cousins was the Kings’ leader, with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Darren Collison had 13 points and 6 assists, while Willie Cauley-Stein had 11 points and 5 rebounds off the bench.

Sonics Narrowly Complete Blazers Sweep

Sonics fans all over KeyArena breathed a sigh of relief when C.J. McCollum the game-winning 3 points attempt, which ultimately gave the Sonics the 114-112 win.

The Sonics had three players who scored over 20 points, with Andrew Nicholson (23 points) and Otto Porter (22 points) being the usual suspects. However, the Sonics also found an unexpected offensive spark from Tony Snell, who scored 20 points from the bench. But it’s unlikely that Dion Waiters will be pushed out of his starting role, as 10 of his 16 points came in the final quarter. Patty Mills and Shaun Livingston also reached double figures, with 10 points each.

The Sonics new winning streak was broken thanks to a 114-112 overtime loss to the Timberwolves.

After Ricky Rubio missed a 3 that would have won the Timberwolves the game, the game was sent to overtime. With the game going back and forth, Andrew Wiggins finally won it for the T-Wolves with this shot. Wiggins ended up with 25 points.

Along with the heroics of Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns also had a huge game, tallying 25 points and 15 rebounds. Zach LaVine proved to be dangerous as well, with 22 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (17 points) and Ricky Rubio (14 points, 14 assists) were also effective on the offensive end.

To match the production from Minnesota, the Sonics had 7 players who scored in double digits. Andrew Nicholson led all Sonics scorers with 23 points, while Otto Porter had 21 points and 8 rebounds. Patty Mills and Brandon Rush scored 18 each, leading a potent supporting cast which included Wilson Chandler (13 points), Dion Waiters (12 points) and Tony Snell (12 points).

Even though the Sonics kept the game close, numerous things didn’t go their way, including Patty Mills picking up his 6th foul in the 3rd quarter. From there, Udoka had to inject seldom-used Bryce Cotton into the point guard rotation, as well as making the unconventional choice of playing Tony Snell at the 1.

This loss ended the Sonics’ latest winning streak at 6.

Waiters, Sonics Get Back on Track in Orlando

Dion Waiters was at his mercurial best in the Sonics 109-93 win against the Magic. The voice of the NBA scored 20 of his 31 points in the first half, putting the Sonics on the front foot from the very beginning. Otto Porter added 21 points, while Andrew Nicholson had 10 points and 7 rebounds. The early lead also allowed the Sonics to clear out their bench, which gave Nick Young an opportunity for extended minutes. He ended up scoring 10 points off 6-7, proving in the process that he still has a lot to offer one of the league’s leading teams.

For the Magic, Nikola Vucevic (19 points, 7 rebounds) and Aaron Gordon (18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) both had flashes of brilliance, but were unable to sustain it for the entire game. Mario Hezonja and J.J. Barea both scored 11 points each, while Elfrid Payton had 10 points and 8 assists.